DND chief slams NPA for attacks despite peace talks

From Malaya Business Insight (May 1): DND chief slams NPA for attacks despite peace talks

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday scored the New People’s Army for its attacks on companies and a ranch in Davao and Panabo cities on Saturday, saying this proves a “disconnect” between the communist rebels and their officials who are representing them in peace talks with government.

“They continue these heinous acts even while their comrades in the NDF (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) and other fronts talks about peace,” Lorenzana said.

On Saturday, NPA rebels launched three successive attacks, one of them at the Lapanday Box Plant in Barangay Mandug in Davao City, and burned several equipment.

In Quirino province, the NPA raided the Maddela town police station on Saturday night, ransacked the station’s cabinet, and fled with an undetermined number of firearms.

PO2 Jerome Cardenas, who was among those who engaged the NPA group in a firefight, died upon arrival at the Maddela District Hospital.

The NPA rebels also commandeered two patrol cars which were later recovered. They also seized two policemen who were later rescued during a pursuit operation.

In the Davao attacks, the NPA first targeted the Lorenzo Farm in Barangay Pangyan, also in Davao City, and disarmed a security guard. They also attacked and burned the Macondray Plastic Plant in Barangay Tagpore in Panabo City.

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, spokesman of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, said the rebels detonated an improvised explosive device on a Simba armored personnel carrier transporting reinforcing soldiers in Barangay Mandug, wounding a fish vendor.

He said two NPA rebels were killed in the subsequent firefight between the troops and the rebels.

Batchar also said 14 people were accosted by soldiers after the firefight for possible involvement in the violence. The 14 were turned over to the local police for investigation, said Batchar.

Batchar said an improvised bomb was also recovered at the scene of the firefight.

Batchar said the rebels attacked the companies and the ranch because their extortion demands were not heeded. “They are a bunch of bandits, extortionists and terrorists,” Batchar also said.

Lorenzana condemned the attacks and questioned the sincerity of the communists in talking peace with the government.

Government and communist negotiators met in the Netherlands early this month for the fourth round of the talks, and agreed on the declaration of a joint ceasefire. The mechanism of the interim joint ceasefire agreement is expected to be finalized this month when peace talks resume.

“The attacks in Davao and other crimes done by the NPA also make the Filipino people question the sincerity of the entire communist movement to push for peace, since it seems everything is just lip service and double talk,” said Lorenzana.

“It also brings to light the disconnect and lack of communication between the NDF, the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines), and its cadres on the ground. We cannot stress enough that for the peace talks to succeed, government must be talking to the real representatives of the communist   movement,” he said.

Lorenzana said there must be assurance that the government is “dealing with the actual leaders of their organizations and not just some figureheads who are devoid of any control or influence.”

Lorenzana said the attacks only show the true color of the NPA. “They just confirmed, without a doubt, their terrorist designation. They also confirmed my accusations that they are anti-progress, anti-development, and anti-people,” he said.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/dnd-chief-slams-npa-attacks-despite-peace-talks